Former Gonzaga star point guard Courtney Vandersloot was among the nominees for the Female Sports Star of the Year by the Seattle Sports Commission on Tuesday.

The organization will host the 77th annual Sports Star of the Year on Jan. 25 at Benaroya Hall.

Vandersloot, who plays for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, led the Zags to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament this past spring. She will compete with UW softball pitcher Jenn Salling, the Pac-10 defensive player of the year; Julie Woodward (Seattle University women’s soccer coach), who earned her 200th career victory; Maddie Meyers (Northwest High School), who won four consecutive state cross-country titles; and Queen Underwood, who won her fifth straight U.S. Lightweight Boxing Championship.

The five nominees for the Professional Sports Star of the Year are Jason Terry, who helped the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 NBA championship; Mariners closer Brandon League, a 2011 All-Star selection; goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who helped Sounders FC to its third consecutive U.S. Open Cup title; Dave Villwock, who became the all-time Unlimited Hydroplane series winner; and Seahawk safety Earl Thomas, a 2011 Pro Bowl pick.

Rowland was voted to the All-Pacific Region team for the third year in a row, and Vansant was chosen as the region’s Freshman of the Year. Ganzer, an outside hitter from Tahoma High, led the Pac-12 in kills per set (4.88), which was fifth-best nationally.

• Whitworth (6-0) has risen two spots to sixth in this week’s D3hoops.commen’s Top 25 poll. Puget Sound (7-0) is 20th.